Heating-Enhanced Cleaning for Optical Devices in Extreme Weather
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Summary
Problems
Existing cleaning devices for optical and optoelectronic devices in vehicles, such as cameras, are inefficient in extreme weather conditions, particularly at low temperatures, leading to increased time and resource consumption for de-icing and maintaining functionality under various climatic conditions.
Innovation solutions
Incorporating an electrically conductive heating element within the ring channel and/or the cleaning agent inlet of the cleaning device, which is designed to maintain the optical or optoelectronic device at an optimal operating temperature, reducing ice and dew formation, and allowing for adjustable nozzle configurations for effective cleaning.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If cleaning devices are used under extreme weather conditions (low temperatures, snowfall), then cleaning effectiveness is reduced, but time consumption and cleaning agent consumption increase significantly
Why choose this principle:
The heating element pre-heats the cleaning agent before it reaches the nozzle, preventing the cleaning agent from freezing and ensuring continuous effective cleaning operation in cold weather conditions
Principle concept:
If cleaning devices are used under extreme weather conditions (low temperatures, snowfall), then cleaning effectiveness is reduced, but time consumption and cleaning agent consumption increase significantly
Why choose this principle:
The temperature of the cleaning agent is changed by the heating element to maintain it above freezing point, fundamentally altering the physical state and effectiveness of the cleaning agent in cold environments
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
Incorporating an electrically conductive heating element within the ring channel and/or the cleaning agent inlet of the cleaning device, which is designed to maintain the optical or optoelectronic device at an optimal operating temperature, reducing ice and dew formation, and allowing for adjustable nozzle configurations for effective cleaning.
Abstract
The invention relates to a cleaning device (1) for cleaning a transparent element (2) of an optical or optoelectronic device (3) with a fluid cleaning agent, comprising a housing (4) in which the device (3) is arranged, wherein the housing (4) is equipped with an annular channel (6) which can be filled with the cleaning agent via a cleaning agent inlet (5) and encloses at least some regions of the transparent element (2), and at least one nozzle (7) which is designed to deflect the cleaning agent onto the transparent element (2) and is supplied from the annular channel (6). The aim of the invention is to provide an improved cleaning device (1) which allows an increase of the availability and ensured functionality of the optical or optoelectronic device (3) being used in all weather conditions and operating conditions or to maintain a high degree of availability and ensured functionality at all times. According to the invention, this is achieved in that at least one electrically conductive heating element (8) is provided for heating the annular channel (6) and/or a housing (4) or cleaning agent inlet (5) region directly adjacent to the annular channel (6).